At The Water's Edge
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: And as the summer went on, Yang could tell Weiss was beginning to fall in love with the ocean more and more by the day. The pictures in textbooks and videos in lecture halls Weiss had known until now were nothing compared to the real deal. [Sharktooth AU].


**A fic for skiretehfox's Sharktooth AU! There isn't much info on this AU right now so I hope this fic is okay/accurate!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

At The Water's Edge

Ever since the first day her little sister had brought Weiss home to visit, Yang had been admittedly smitten with the white-haired beauty.

She'd tried not to let it show, but she wasn't too sure how well that had been going.

In fact, it probably wasn't going so well, as Yang soon came to realize that Weiss was starting to steal glances her way as well.

After the initial introductions, Weiss would always flash smiles at her, and Yang would blush and wave back, or vice versa.

Weiss often came over to help Ruby with her studies and things of that nature. Sometimes, Weiss would sleep over and stay in their little cabin off to the edge of the beach.

Yang loved living here, because every breath was full of the ocean – salt and warmth and freedom itself.

And as the summer went on, she could tell Weiss was beginning to fall in love with the ocean more and more by the day. The pictures in textbooks and videos in lecture halls Weiss had known until now were nothing compared to the real deal.

She started to sleep over more often, and when Weiss couldn't stay the night, she'd stay as late as she could until sunset. She had told Yang she was going to school to be a marine biologist, so it was only natural she wanted to spend most of her time by the sea.

That was what she told her father, anyway, justification for staying over at Ruby's home so frequently.

But after a few weeks... there was another reason, too.

Yang was more than ecstatic to discover Weiss seemed to enjoy her company, to the point where some nights, Weiss would visit Yang in her room rather than sleep on a pile of blankets in Ruby's.

It started as a timid process, as though Weiss didn't want to impose or bother Yang. But the blonde never turned her away.

On calm, quiet nights, where the only sounds outside were the distant kisses of the tide on the shore, Yang would hold conversations with Weiss.

As their secret rendezvous became more frequent, they started opening up a bit more to one another.

Weiss told of her plans to study marine biology, and told her how school was going.

Yang told her about her hobby of surfing, and even a bit about her mother. _Before_ the accident. She didn't want to talk about anything after that, and Weiss never pressed her to.

They talked about the sea, about the animals that dwelled there that Weiss was studying. She told Yang the migration patterns of local whales and dolphins, about sea turtles and other rare fish.

But the night she'd tried to talk about sharks, Yang's smile had faded in a heartbeat, and her face had turned pale. Weiss hadn't needed any more indication other than that to know she should stop speaking. She'd apologized softly and changed the subject without a second thought.

After that, she never revisited the topic of sharks around Yang again, despite the fact that they were Weiss' favorite creature, and the ones she focused her studies on the most. But she could infer from Yang's reaction what had happened to her mother.

Weiss knew that the shark tooth necklace that was constantly around the blonde's collar wasn't a symbol that she liked sharks; it was a reminder.

And reminder of what had happened...

So Weiss didn't bring them up anymore in their private, nighttime conversations.

She'd try to go back to Ruby's room to fall asleep, but some nights, Weiss would end up staying in Yang's bed.

For the first few instances, Yang would let Weiss have the bed and she herself would go to the floor to curl up with her blankets and pillows.

But on a stormy night when Weiss stayed over, it was a different story.

Yang's door had creaked open just before she'd turned off the bedside lamp, and Weiss had stumbled in on trembling legs. Ruby tended to sleep like a log through storms, so Yang knew right away that Weiss was scared to be alone.

So she'd invited her over to the bed and didn't leave her side all night.

Yang wrapped her up tightly, covering her with blankets. With the way Weiss had been whimpering and sobbing as she cringed in on herself, it was hard not to kiss her, too.

Yang found she failed to refrain.

At first, she only peppered them over the girl's face and shoulders in an effort to sooth her.

But when Weiss lifted her tearstained face and bumped her lips against Yang's, the blonde didn't resist her.

She'd kissed Weiss until the girl had stopped shivering, until her frightened heartbeat had slowed to a steadier rhythm.

After that night, they'd become much more than just friends.

* * *

About two weeks after the storm that had brought them to a new level of their relationship, it was a sunny, hot morning, just shy of sweltering.

Weiss had spent the night, once more in Yang's bed, and the blonde had left her sleeping there as she'd snuck out to head to the beach for an early-morning surf.

She treaded barefoot through the hot sand with her surf board under her arm, surprised to find the beach vacant at this hour, but not complaining about it.

When her toes touched the water, Yang let out a blissful sigh, wasting no time in wading up to her stomach. She laid on her board for a while and simply drifted, enjoying the coolness of the water on her body as tiny waves bounced beneath her.

Her mind entertained thoughts of Weiss, her first girlfriend ever, and a beautiful one at that. Before she'd left that morning, Yang had lazed about in bed for a while and simply watched Weiss sleep.

But as much as she liked Weiss, the ocean called to her with a voice Yang simply couldn't ignore.

She'd merely kissed the girl, and then headed out.

For now, she simply reminisced on the quiet morning as the waves took her on a small ride...

Weiss woke not long afterward, huffing to find that her girlfriend of two weeks had left her alone. She pulled on some light clothing, knowing exactly where she'd have to go to find the blonde.

She pulled her hair into a ponytail, stepped into her sandals, and then hurried out the door, treading quietly as to not wake Ruby or her father.

Weiss paused for a moment once she reached the beach, breathing in the scent of the ocean. Closing her eyes for a moment, she listened to the calls of the seagulls overhead, the cars passing through the streets behind her, the waves crashing lightly against the sand beyond the dunes ahead.

Weiss savored the sounds and scents of the oceanside town before heading off.

The sky was still pale yellow and blue as she arrived at the beach, the sun only just having risen. It was bright gold and rimmed with orange, indicating today would be a heated one. Weiss wiped her arm over her forehead just thinking about the sweat she'd shed in future months.

Her white sandals kicked up sand behind her as she walked onto the beach, surprised to find there weren't many other people here – the ones who were present were at least half a mile away from her setting up an umbrella.

She trained her eyes on the sky for a while, watching as the colors melted into one another, pinks and oranges and yellows.

Then, her eyes went to the white sand underfoot, where little shells and remnants of crab claws and other tiny creatures had washed up with the tide overnight.

She felt it when the sand went from hot to cool, turning a light brown color where the water had reached up this high from the midnight tide.

Weiss directed her gaze forward again, intent to find what she sought.

It didn't take very long.

Yang was the only person inane enough to be surfing at this hour, alone and when no life guards were on duty yet. Weiss would've yelled at her from this very spot on-shore if she didn't already know how experienced Yang was.

She still had half a mind to yell anyway, considering how Yang had just left her all alone like that this morning. But it hadn't been the first time, and Weiss had already accepted the fact that it wouldn't be the last, either.

So she opted not to shout, and instead watched her girlfriend fondly from her position on the sand.

Yang was a ways out into the water, paddling up to her next wave and waiting for just the right moment to catch it.

It would never cease to amaze Weiss how expertly Yang could maneuver and ride them, with a neat trail of white water cutting out behind her board. Yang hadn't fallen off while surfing in over five years now - as she'd boasted to Weiss many nights ago - and she clearly wasn't going to start falling now.

Maybe she noticed Weiss watching her, because the white-haired girl realized Yang was starting to get bolder and perform more insane tricks. She surfed backward, then tried to keep her balance on one leg, and even was crazy enough to attempt a hand-stand.

Every time, without fail or incident, Yang would come out of the wave's path unscathed and never wetter than absolutely necessary.

And every time, Weiss went from gasping in apprehension to sighing in relief in a matter of seconds.

Yang had just bested another wave, and her legs were starting to get tired, her stomach growling for food. She laid down on her stomach again as a spray of water blew over her. She sighed, enjoying the coolness for a moment in contrast to the rising sun beating down on her back.

Lazily, she flipped her board over and slipped her body into the water, purposefully going under in order to cool herself down, using the ankle band attached to her board to bring herself back up again.

But the action had startled Weiss – to see Yang so peacefully drifting along one moment and then suddenly underwater the next had her heart leaping into her throat. She couldn't help but call out for her frantically.

"Yang?!"

The blonde breached the surface again just as the terrified cry of her name sounded from shore. Recognizing her girlfriend's voice, Yang tossed her drenched mane of hair back over her shoulders and looked up.

Weiss was standing at the water's edge, her toes not even touching the tide as she looked out, hands clutching her chest.

Even from where she was at sea, Yang could see that Weiss was staring right at her, clearly frightened at having just seen her go under.

"Aha shit..." Yang muttered at her own carelessness. She should've known Weiss might follow her out here.

She sat up straight on her board and gave a wave to the girl on the beach, indicating she was fine.

Yang used the next incoming wave to let it push her faster toward the sand. Once she reached the shallows, she climbed off her board and waded up to Weiss, shaking herself off like a wet dog before she reached her.

"Heya! Morning," she grinned.

Weiss only glared at her, then reached up to pinch her cheek.

"You oaf! You nearly gave me a heart-attack! Don't do that!"

"H-Hey, in my defense, I didn't know you were watching!"

"Maybe you would've known if you hadn't left me alone this morning..."

"Aw, but you were sleeping so peacefully. I couldn't wake ya, Weiss."

With a sigh, the smaller girl released Yang's cheek.

"Fine. Just... don't scare me like that." With a huff, she turned away.

Yang smiled, rolling her eyes a bit as she tucked her board under one arm, and reached for Weiss' hand with her free one.

"Sorry," she murmured.

She pulled Weiss back a step until the girl's back bumped against her chest. Yang leaned forward and kissed her atop the head, sighing softly into that soft, white hair. Weiss sniffed once, tightening her grip on the taller girl's hand.

"Come on," she muttered. "Let's go get some breakfast."

* * *

The remainder of the day passed by as per usual.

Ruby and Weiss stayed indoors to do some studying, while Blake stopped by for a brief visit from her typical work at the family restaurant to greet them all.

The day was muggy and hot, a bit too much so even for Yang, and she didn't return to the waves that afternoon. She would have if she'd been allowed to, but there had been a heat stroke warning declared on the news, and therefore Weiss had forbidden her from taking so much as one step onto the beach for the rest of the day.

The white-haired girl slept over again that night, now able to unashamedly go to Yang's room after she'd said goodnight to Ruby.

Yang changed into her thinnest tank top and shortest shorts as she waited eagerly for Weiss to enter.

When girlfriend did come in, she was dressed in a blue, sleeveless, silken nightgown that was her lightest article of sleepwear.

Yang's heart went aflutter just at the mere sight of her – it had always done this, but ever since they'd officially become and item, she wasn't afraid to reveal her reactions.

Weiss must have noticed her blush, because she turned her face away as she entered the room.

"You oaf..." she muttered. "Make some room, would you?"

Yang realized she'd been sitting cross-legged on her bed, taking up nearly all of the available space.

"Oh, sure thing." She quickly moved to one side, patting the space next to her.

Weiss sat on top of the blankets, refusing to put so much as an iota of unnecessary weight on top of her person that night. Even though there was a bit of air conditioning passing through the room along with a fan in the corner, she was still sweating a bit more than Yang was comfortable with.

"Hey," the blonde murmured, motioning the girl closer. "C'mere a sec, Weiss."

Reluctantly, Weiss leaned into the blonde's side and released a sigh. Yang put her free hand to Weiss' forehead and nearly pulled away from how badly she was sweltering.

"Geez!" she gasped. "You're burning up! Do you wanna take a cold shower or something?"

"I already did," Weiss sighed. "I don't want to waste more of your water."

"You wouldn't be wastin' it!" Yang insisted. "You gotta cool down, hun."

"I'll be fine if I just sleep," Weiss mumbled.

Yang frowned, then pressed her lips to the girl's forehead. Again, she nearly recoiled at how warm she was.

"Gosh. At least lemme get you some ice water."

Carefully, Yang pulled her arm away from Weiss' back, letting the headboard support her girlfriend's weight as the blonde slipped out of bed. She leaned over to give Weiss one last kiss for good measure, then hurried out of the room.

She cranked the air conditioning up to its highest stetting, briefly wondering why that hadn't been done already.

When Yang returned a moment later, she was carrying a clean glass of ice water and a wet wash cloth. She went to Weiss and handed her the water, watched as the smaller girl eagerly drained the entire glass before thanking her, and then put it aside on a small table.

Yang took her spot beside Weiss once more, drawing her as close as possible without making unnecessary contact to share more unwanted body heat. Yang held the cold cloth over the girl's forehead, feeling as Weiss sighed in relief and closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Yang..."

"Don't thank me," she murmured. "Just feel better, 'kay?"

Weiss nodded, indicating that she'd try her best.

Yang pressed the cloth all around her girlfriend's face, collecting the sweat that had beaded there. She traveled down the sides and back of Weiss' neck, getting beneath the weight of her ponytail.

She dipped beneath Weiss' nightgown only an inch or so to press the cloth to her collar, holding it there for a moment at the center of her chest. She could faintly feel Weiss' heartbeat, thrumming excessively quickly, to the point where Yang grew concerned. She tightened her grip on Weiss' shoulders a bit, then leaned down to kiss her temple.

"Easy..." she whispered. "Just relax, Weiss. Breathe."

She slid the cold cloth away from her girlfriend's chest to gather Weiss' bare arms in her lap. Yang's grandmother had taught her this trick at a young age. She pressed the cloth to the inside of Weiss' wrists, directly over her pulse on both arms.

Almost instantly, Yang felt a small shiver go through the girl's body, and Weiss released a sigh.

"It feels nice..." she mumbled.

Yang smiled a bit, glad the old trick had worked.

She continued moving the cloth up and down Weiss' arms until the rag had lost its cool temperature. Yang was about to offer to re-wet it when she realized Weiss' weight had become limp at her side.

She checked to make sure Weiss wasn't feverish anymore, kissed her forehead, then pressed a hand lightly to her chest. But any traces of discomfort that had previously been present were now thankfully absent.

Yang put the cloth aside as she gently laid Weiss down on her back. Just to be certain, Yang rested her head over the girl's collar for a moment to listen to her heartbeat, satisfied to discover it was no longer speeding.

Yang sat up and flicked off the beside lamp, then flopped down in bed beside her girlfriend, maintaining some distance to let Weiss cool off a bit more effectively.

But even on nights like these when Yang couldn't hold her, she could still breathe Weiss in, still feel her presence.

And therefore, she still fell asleep as calmly as ever.

* * *

When the sunlight came beaming in through the blinds the next morning, Yang stretched and yawned for a moment before turning over to face the girl beside her.

She was relieved to find Weiss' chest wasn't heaving from the heat, and her face wasn't flushed - she merely appeared to be sleeping deeply and peacefully.

Yang spoiled herself for a moment by reaching out to caress the girl's face, combing her fingertips lightly over her forehead to collect her bangs, pulling a few of the longer strands behind Weiss' ear. Yang kissed her cheek softly, her lips a smile as she did so, one of her hands rolling circles over Weiss' stomach.

She'd only meant to do all this for a moment before pulling away and sneaking out of bed, but the second she moved away, Weiss stirred, as though unconsciously missing her touch. Yang bit her lip, knowing she'd be unable to sneak away after all, but more relieved that Weiss was feeling well enough to wake now rather than sleep in.

Those long eyelashes fluttered open and lifted, revealing two pools of ocean-blue crystals which instantly sought Yang out.

"Mornin'," the blonde said softly. "How're you feeling?"

Weiss reached up to rub her knuckles over her eyes, then stretched her arms up above herself.

"Immensely better, no doubt thanks to you," she reported.

Yang let out a little sigh of content.

"I'm glad. You wanna sleep in a while longer?"

Weiss only needed to consider it for a second.

"And lay here all alone as you undoubtedly go sneak away to your other mistress? Whom you cheat on me with every morning without fail?"

Yang chuckled sheepishly and put a hand behind her head.

"Aw, c'mon. Now I'm having an affair with the ocean?"

"You love her a lot, don't you?" Weiss teased. "So that's why I won't be so cruel as to make you chose between us. Rather, I think I'd like to tag along this time."

Yang perked up, her face breaking out into a wide grin.

"Really? Ya wanna come with?"

"Just to watch," Weiss clarified. "I don't have the heart nor skill for surfing."

"Oh, sure, sure! Just do whatever you're comfy with." Yang slid in to peck her on the lips, then sat herself up. "Let's just get changed first, yeah?"

Yang gathered a few sets of clothes and lent some of her oldest, smallest clothes to Weiss. Her girlfriend excused herself to the bathroom to change and freshen up a bit, while Yang stuck to changing in her room.

Once Weiss emerged – dressed in Yang's old white shorts and light blue t-shirt – the blonde couldn't help but smile at how loose the clothes were on her.

Yang went into the bathroom as well, leaving Weiss to fix her ponytail until they were both ready.

Quietly, they padded out to the breezeway where Weiss slipped on her sandals, though Yang preferred to go barefoot. The blonde grabbed her shark-fin surfboard where it leaned against the wall by the door, and without making a sound, the two girls slipped outside into the warm summer morning.

It wasn't as hot as yesterday morning, and the sun was still sitting on the horizon of the water. Yang knew that had it been any later in the day, Weiss would've demanded she put on sunblock, but at this hour, it wasn't terribly necessary, so Weiss let it slide.

Yang kept her surfboard under one arm, and she took Weiss' hand with her free one, sliding her fingers in between Weiss' to interlock them.

They didn't need words as they walked - the rush of the sea breeze and chorus of the gulls was more than enough to satisfy their ears. Within minutes, their feet touched sand, and the two girls made trails of footprints as they headed for the water.

Once again, Weiss trained her eyes on the sand underfoot, her gaze passing over the little shells and shards of sea glass that had washed up overnight. She needed to tug Yang's hand to have her avoid stepping barefoot on a few things.

"You idiot," Weiss grunted. "Watch where you're going."

"Aw, thanks for lookin' out for me!" Yang pulled her in and kissed the top of her head.

They continued onward, and the second the blonde's toes touched water, she sighed in bliss – maybe Weiss was right and she really _did_ love the ocean just as much as she loved her girlfriend.

But she felt the slight pull of resistance when Weiss let go of her hand, unwilling to go into the water. Yang turned back to her and apologized.

"Oh, right. You just wanna watch."

"Yes..."

"That's fine! I'll give you a show!"

Yang released Weiss' hand, lifted her surfboard, and waved. A beam of sunlight weaved through her mane of loose hair, causing it to glow even brighter gold than before. The light then caught on her shark tooth necklace as she waded into the water.

"Be careful!" Weiss called after her.

"Always am!"

Weiss stayed on shore as she watched her girlfriend take off, lying down on her board once the water became to high.

Yang started to paddle out toward where the waves were beginning to form, and Weiss kept her gaze trained on her. Like yesterday, there was no one else on the beach at this hour, not even life guards.

If they were caught out here, they'd surely be reprimanded, but for some reason, Weiss wasn't too worried. She wouldn't get in trouble for standing at the water's edge; if anyone got in trouble, it would be Yang. But she was such a smooth talker and a charmer that Weiss knew she'd be able to slither her way out of any situation, should one arise.

As the blonde neared her first wave, Weiss observed her technique, much cleaner and surer than a lot of other surfers she'd seen. Yang balanced herself effortlessly as she stood, her board catching the wave at just the perfect angle.

Weiss was perpetually amazed that she had the energy to do these things first thing in the morning, without so much as having eaten breakfast yet.

Weiss had asked her about it once, and Yang had replied that it simply made her feel lighter, and therefore it was easier to surf.

Consequently, it meant she always had quite an appetite afterward, but that wasn't anything Blake's nearby family restaurant couldn't handle.

Yang bested her first wave of the day, feeling the tug of the undertow dragging her back out to sea for more, and she eagerly accepted the offer.

But first, she made sure to look for Weiss and wave to her, ensuring she was fine. Yang was mindful not to intentionally flip herself over into the water again, so she merely spooned handfuls of it over her back and shoulders to keep cool.

She let the scent of salt fill her lungs as she climbed the next wave, her vision traveling from the blue-green seawater beneath her to the pale fiery sky above. The drifting clouds were lined with pinks and reds, highlighted against the lighter background.

Yang engraved the scene into her heart, just as she did every morning, letting the water take her...

She rode nearly a dozen more waves that varied in size, always making sure to wave to Weiss every time. Though Yang had plenty of energy to spare, she didn't feel right leaving her girlfriend all alone on the beach like that for so long.

Therefore, she let the next wave carry her almost all the way to shore, where Yang then laid down on her board and paddled to the shallows were she slid off. She could tell Weiss was relieved to see her finished – though she tried not to show it. The girl was always anxious whenever Yang went out, nervous something might happen to her.

And to be perfectly honest, Yang was always a bit nervous, too. But she appreciated Weiss' concern, as it reminded her just how deeply she was cared for.

She walked until the water was down to her knees, then her ankles, and at last she dropped her board onto the sand and pulled Weiss into a small hug.

"Didja have fun watching?" she wondered.

"Yes. You were very impressive."

"Aw, shucks. Thanks, Weiss." Yang kissed the top of her head again.

When they parted, Weiss took her hand and started back toward the beach.

But this time, it was Yang who resisted. Weiss turned back, her puzzled gaze meeting with Yang's encouraging one.

"Hey, Weiss. Why don't you come out with me? Just in the shallows, okay? We don't need to go near the waves or anything. I just... I dunno. I just wanna share _that_ with you..."

She looked back over her shoulder at the water beyond.

The ocean was her life, it always had been, and she knew it always would be. She wanted Weiss to experience it, too.

But she wasn't surprised when her girlfriend hesitated to answer.

Yang knew she wanted to be a marine biologist, but for whatever reason, in all the weeks she'd seen Weiss out here at the beach, the girl had never once set foot into the water.

Yang didn't know why, but they'd only been dating for two weeks. They were still learning about each other, and hopefully - in time - Weiss would open up to her about some things.

Yang would return the favor too, when she was ready.

But right now, Weiss seemed nervous, her grip on Yang's hand suddenly tightening, her eyes flashing down to the sand. Perhaps she had fears similar to Yang's, but there hadn't been a shark in these waters for over ten years. The last one that had been here had been the source of Yang's nightmares ever since.

But as things were now, the waters were tracked with radars and deemed to be safe.

Yang tried again, bringing Weiss' hand up to her lips and kissing her knuckles.

"Please, Weiss? Just for a minute. I promise you'll be okay."

But when she felt a shudder pass through the girl, Yang started having second thoughts. Perhaps Weiss' fears were deeper than the shallows they planned to wade into.

Yang loosened her grip and lowered her voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pressure you. You don't have to, Weiss. Really. Whatever makes you feel safest; that's what's most important."

Another moment passed, and all Yang could hear was the rush of lapping waves just a few feet behind her, tickling her ankles.

She was about to lead Weiss back toward the house when her girlfriend lifted her face once more. Weiss' blue eyes were scared, but determined, meeting lavender with as much confidence as she could muster.

"I'll... go with you," she declared. "I trust you, Yang. And I want to... experience it with you..." Her gaze went out over the shimmering water this time, past Yang's shoulder.

The blonde inhaled a bit sharply.

"Weiss, I don't want you to say that just to make me happy. I was being selfish. I don't want you to do this if you don't think you can handle it."

"No," Weiss murmured. "I'll be fine. I know it. Because you'll be with me." Her eyes met Yang's again, and they were sparkling with honesty.

Weiss truly wanted to do this, and Yang's words hadn't influenced her at all. The desire was coming from Weiss' own heart.

Yang cracked a small smile and nodded.

"Alright."

She picked up her board again, keeping a firm hold on Weiss' hand as she stepped into the water.

Yang waited for the next rush of cool to reach the sand, stopping just before it reached her girlfriend's feet. Weiss slipped out of her sandals, took a breath, and then stepped onto the cooler, brown sand.

The next rush of water brushed her toes, sinking them down into the sand a bit. Weiss shivered again, but the cold was welcome now against the heat of the rising sun.

Yang waited patiently for her, keeping a firm grip on Weiss' fingers.

"If you change your mind, that's okay. Just say so."

Weiss nodded, then took another step forward.

"I want to do this..." she murmured.

Yang squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"Okay. I've got'cha."

Gradually, Weiss stepped into the water, first until her feet were submerged up to her ankles. Then it was her calves, her knees, and then her thighs, and that was where she paused again, feeling the undertow pulling at her legs.

Yang decided this was deep enough for her uncertain girlfriend, and she swung one leg over her surfboard, then sat on top with her back straight. She helped Weiss sit in a similar fashion on the other end, balancing their weight evenly.

All the while, Yang never leg go of Weiss' hand, feeling how much she was trembling. She kept telling Weiss, "If you wanna go back, just tell me."

But Weiss always shook her head.

"No. I'm alright..." she reassured. "Because _you're_ here."

As the minutes went on, Weiss become more confident, and though she didn't let go of Yang's hand, her posture straightened up a bit.

It got to the point where she was calm enough to look out over the distant water, then to where the waves were rising up and coming in, and then to where the sun was beginning to climb higher into the colorful sky.

But ultimately, her gaze returned to Yang's, and she lost herself in soft lavender.

Yang bent down, smiling against Weiss' lips as she kissed them, first once, then twice, than too many times to count.

The waters swayed gently beneath them, and Weiss slid her hands up to her girlfriend's shoulders to hold on a bit tighter. In turn, Yang slid her hands down to Weiss' waist, bracing her palms on either side of the girl's body to keep her from slipping off the board.

Several moments passed, and at least a dozen more kisses were shared between them.

Yang pulled Weiss closer to her, cradling the smaller girl against her chest, sighing in bliss. She was glad she could finally share this with Weiss, this calm, tranquil moment with the water gently rolling beneath them.

Yang could feel how Weiss relaxed against her chest, releasing a sigh. And she could feel her girlfriend's hands playing idly through her damp hair.

Yang had been so wrapped up in the moment, she failed to notice when a small wave formed close by. It was fast and silent, and only when it was already looming over them did she realize it was too late.

All she could do was cling tighter to Weiss and try to warn her before the water crashed over them.

The impact flipped the surfboard over, plunging both girls underwater. Yang cursed a string of bubbles as she felt Weiss tumble from her grasp beneath the surface, but she couldn't open her eyes to search for her.

Yang felt the pull of her ankle band tugging her back to her board and the surface, so she followed it and breached, clambering onto her board as she caught her breath.

"Weiss?!"

She cast her gaze around frantically, but her girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. The waters may have been shallow, but it was still deep enough to go completely under, the waves strong enough to yank a small girl like Weiss out into deeper waters in no time at all.

Yang didn't waste another second before she dove back down, keeping her eyes open this time.

Luckily, she found Weiss not far away, thrashing wildly, but not enough to swim. Yang hooked her arms beneath the girl's shoulders and around her stomach, then pulled her up.

The second they broke the surface, Weiss was gasping desperately in her arms, trembling violently.

"Easy, easy!" Yang soothed into her ear. "I've got'cha, Weiss. I've got'cha."

Her board was just inches away, and she coaxed Weiss onto it, keeping a hand on the girl's back to ensure she could hold on. Yang swam for a moment, slowly pulling Weiss and her board back to shore until her feet could touch the bottom.

Anchored down now, Yang pulled her board closer, covering Weiss with her own body and pressing close to hold her up. Her girlfriend was still sputtering mouthfuls of water, throat burning with salt as she choked on bits of sand.

Yang hoisted Weiss up into her arms and kicked her surfboard the last few feet onto the sand, then collapsed to her knees with Weiss in her lap.

"Weiss!" she cried. "Hey, hey, it's alright. You're alright, hun."

Weiss' eyes were closed and she cringed in Yang's arms, still sputtering and struggling to breathe. Yang didn't waste any more time in laying her down in the sand on her back. She balanced her hands over the center of Weiss' chest, positioning herself on her knees as she leaned her weight down, pressing her palms to the girl's collar for several chest compressions.

Weiss jolted, then more water rose up from her lips, and Yang quickly turned her over onto her side so she may spit it all out.

At last, Weiss could breathe again, fast and shallow as it might've been. Yang pulled her back into her lap and caressed her face gently, rubbing small circles over her shuddering chest.

"Easy, easy..." Yang whispered to her. "You're okay, Weiss. I'm here. I'm right here. Just breathe..."

She dropped her head down to Weiss' chest to listen to her heart. It was fast and scared, throbbing thickly like rapid blasts of thunder. Yang just continued to sooth her, petting through her drenched hair and rubbing her stomach. She peppered small kisses over Weiss' chest, then moved up to do the same to her cheeks and forehead.

At last, Weiss' breathing started to calm down, and Yang dipped down again, pressing her lips to Weiss' and pushing much-needed air into her lungs.

As soon as Weiss opened her eyes again, Yang pulled her up into a soft embrace.

"Thank god..." she mumbled into the girl's dripping white hair. "Thank god, Weiss..."

She felt the girl sigh against her, sniffling a bit as she shivered. Yang couldn't stop herself from hugging her tighter, rubbing up and down Weiss' back reassuringly. She heard a quiet, guilty mumble against her ear as Weiss whimpered an apology.

"Sorry..." Weiss gasped. "I sh-should have told you... But I was embarrassed..."

Yang only hugged her closer.

"Weiss... that's nothing to be embarrassed about. I don't care if you can't swim... But you should've said so before you agreed to let me take you out there. If I'd known, I wouldn't've put you in such a dangerous situation. _I'm_ sorry. I should've seen the signs..."

"But... I wanted to," Weiss whispered. "I wanted to be out there with you... on the water. I wanted you to be able to share it with me. I wanted to share it with you, too."

Yang bit her lip, still just as shaken as Weiss was by what had just happened.

But it was over now – there was no need to make Weiss feel guilty about it all.

At the very least, Yang knew now, and she wouldn't be putting her girlfriend at risk anymore.

"It's okay..." the blonde sighed. "I'm just glad you're alright now." Yang hugged her again and kissed her shoulder. "I won't take you out there anymore. Promise."

But Weiss shook her head against Yang's chest.

"No... I want to go out again, Yang. Maybe... not right away... but I want to go back there with you."

Yang tightened her hold a bit.

"I don't know," she said, voice strained. "I don't know if I can... if I can let you do that, Weiss. Not if that might happen again-" She cut off, a surge of emotion rising up in her stomach and making it twist.

Weiss felt her stiffen and reached out to rub her shoulders.

"It'll be okay, Yang," she said. "Whenever you're ready, we can try again."

It was tempting to say the very least. The moments they'd shared just now had been indescribable, but Yang feared that the next time they tried it, the results would be the same, and Weiss might get hurt.

But as she considered the thoughts, a better one came to the forefront of her mind.

"Not just yet," Yang murmured, finally pulling away to look down into her eyes. "Someday. But first, I can teach you how to swim," she offered. "We can use our pool. Whenever you've got a free hour or something and you can come here, I'll teach you. That way... maybe we can even take a swim or go body surfing together one day. Whadda you think?" she asked tentatively.

Weiss blinked up at her, pondering for only a moment before she dipped her chin with a nod.

"I... I think I'd like that," she said. "There's no one else I'd rather learn from."

Yang grinned and patted the girl's back.

"Okay then!"

She kissed Weiss' nose, then went down to her lips again, tasting salt and sand there.

They were both still soaking wet, though the sun was helping to start dry them off by now. When they pulled apart again, Weiss hid her face in the side of Yang's neck.

"Again, I'm sorry, Yang. This only happened because I was too scared to tell you..."

"It's alright," she said. "The important thing is you're okay. But now I hope you know it's alright to tell me anything and everything you need or want to."

Weiss cleared her throat, then strained up to kiss her cheek.

"I know now. And I hope you do as well, Yang. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want me to, but... whatever you need to get off your chest, I'm here. I'll listen, no matter how long it takes."

Yang felt a stinging swell behind her eyes, touched at her girlfriend's tender words. She was sure to place an equally tender kiss on the girl's lips.

"Thanks-" Yang got a bit choked up and had to try again. "Thanks, Weiss. I will. I'll tell you everything... in time."

"I'll be here when you're ready," she promised.

Another kiss, and then the clouds parted above them, revealing a swath of golden light showering down on the two girls.

Finding the strength to stand, Yang kept Weiss in her arms and lifted her up. Weiss squeaked and looped her arms around the blonde's neck, clinging softly.

"Y-You oaf," she huffed. "I can walk."

"Mm, I know. But I just feel like doin' this, if that's okay."

Yang bent down to kiss her cheek again. Weiss huffed and buried her face in her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Your board..."

"Aw I can just drag that behind me!" Yang said. "It's tied to my ankle."

And so drag it she did, but it wasn't as smooth as she'd hoped it would be. Every other step was a slow pull of her leg, dragging the surfboard behind her. Weiss kept giggling at Yang's awkward gait, limping every other second.

In the end, Yang knelt down, keeping Weiss on her lap as she untied her board from her ankle and muttered to herself. "Everyone knows this is my board. I'll come get it later."

She then stood, free to move normally, hugging Weiss close to her again as she walked on.

As she planned out Weiss' swimming lessons in her head, she couldn't help but tease.

"I think we've still got some of Ruby's old water-wingies. Those should probably fit you."

Weiss growled and bumped her head into the underside of Yang's chin.

The blonde laughed. "Okay, sorry, sorry! You can use my old ones then~"

Weiss grumbled again and pouted for a moment as Yang carried her across the sand, nearing her house once more. Once there, Weiss mumbled into her ear.

"Do you think... we could start today? Maybe after lunch or something?"

Yang paused for a moment to nod eagerly.

"Yeah, of course! Just make sure you wait an hour after you eat~"

Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes, though her lips smiled. Yang covered that smile with her own and kissed her again.

"Alright then," the blonde hummed. "Let's get some breakfast and then maybe a bath!"

With that said, she ran off with Weiss in her arms, her smaller girlfriend scolding her to slow down.

The ocean waves lapped quietly behind them, inviting them back again.

And they'd heed that offer in time, when they were ready.

* * *

 **A/N: Again, not much info on this AU other than a few comics and what Skire told me about it. This was originally just gonna be a drabble, but it obviously got long, so sorry if it read weird at the beginning.**

 **You can support me on as Kiria Alice if you like my work!**

 **Please review!**


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